LG pulled out all the stops to deliver one of 2017’s best smartphones in the G6. With its breakthrough design, massive display for its size, excellent wide-angle camera, and dependable performance, it was a return to form for the company that had a bit of a misstep with 2016’s G5.
But rumors have been swirling about the company’s 2018 flagship for quite some time, and we finally have some confirmed features and specifications about the phone.
Super Bright Display that doesn’t consume battery life
While LG hasn’t announced all the details about the new LG G7 ThinQ, it has confirmed to Digital Trends the phone will boast a 6.1-inch LCD display with a 3,120 x 1,440 resolution and a maximum brightness of 1,000 nits. LG said it’s the brightest display available in a smartphone, but it’s actually the brightest on a smartphone with an LCD screen. The Samsung Galaxy S9, which has an AMOLED display, can hit above 1,100 nits.
LG has also released some screenshots of the display — which confirm the existence of a notch. The notch seems to be a slightly smaller than the notch on the iPhone X, but it’s a little bigger than the Huawei P20 Pro’s notch.
The new display will be easily operable in almost any lighting conditions, including bright sunlight — and it’ll still cut down on power consumption by as much as 30 percent compared to the LG G6. The resolution might seem a little strange, but that’s because the aspect ratio is even longer than the G6’s, coming in at 19.5:9.
You can also change the color profile of the display to suite your tastes with modes including Auto, Eco, Cinema, Game, Photo, or Web, as can be seen in the screenshots.
So why is there no OLED? It looks like LG may be reserving that display technology for its higher tier V-series. The colors on the G7 ThinQ may not be as deep as you would get on an OLED phone, but brightness will be something to behold when the phone does eventually launch.
Release date and availability
The LG G7 ThinQ will be unveiled in New York on May 2, and invitations have been sent out to save the date. It also confirms the phone’s name, which has been the subject of speculation, with even LG unsure of what it would be called until recently. The phone’s official release date will likely be shared on the day too, but LG doesn’t always talk about prices, preferring to leave that down to carriers. Expect U.S. networks to announce prices and deals very soon after the press conference.
Name
LG took its time thinking about the name for its first 2018 flagship phone. Logically, LG’s G6 follow-up would be called the G7, and while early rumors said LG was considering moving away from this, the company will stick with tradition. An invitation sent out by the company to the May 2 event states the phone revealed will be called the LG G7 ThinQ.
ThinQ is the name of its Internet of Things connectivity platform, so LG’s home appliances can connect to your phone thanks to the ThinQ platform.
Design
The LG G6 remains a great example of how to minimize bezels and create an eye-catching modern design, refined by LG with the V30. What will the LG G7 look like? It’s likely to continue with the small-bezel look, and it’s now confirmed to add a notch to the screen, just like the Huawei P20 and the Apple iPhone X.
A new button may be added to the phone, ready to quickly access Google Assistant. According to a report from CNET, the device will feature a dedicated Google Assistant button on its left side, similar to Samsung’s Bixby button on the Galaxy S8 and Galaxy S9.
Our best look at the phone’s front came from phone leaker Evan Blass, who tweeted the image below, supposedly showing the LG G7 ThinQ in a high-quality promotional picture. It’s shaping up to be as sleek and attractive as the V30S.
It certainly fits with other leaks we’ve seen of the LG G7, including the family shot below, published by Android Headlines. The image shows the upcoming LG flagship coming in four colors: Aurora black, platinum grey, raspberry rose, and Moroccan blue. The Moroccan blue finish will have two more variants: High gloss and matte.
Specs
Will the LG G6 replacement be a flagship phone, with Galaxy S9-challenging specs? A report from Venture Beat has shed some light on what we should expect from the phone, stating it will use a Qualcomm Snapdragon 845 processor, along with dual rear-facing camera, water resistance, and stereo speakers.
This corroborates previous reports. LG worked with Qualcomm on the chipmaker’s current Snapdragon 845 processor, industry sources told South Korea’s Aju Business Daily. According to the report, the two companies started working together in May 2017. The Snapdragon 845 processor will provide a “25-percent performance uplift” over last year’s Snapdragon 835. The chip features an X20 LTE modem, which will offer provide gigabit connectivity on supported networks. In addition to the Qualcomm processor, this source suggests other specs for the LG 7 ThinQ, including 4GB of RAM and 64GB storage, plus a 3,000mAh battery. An LG G7 Plus may have 6GB of RAM and 128GB storage space.
LG appears to be focusing heavily on AI in the upcoming G7 say rumors published by GSMArena. The site reports the G7 will have deep Q Voice and Q Lens integration. There will also be a dedicated A.I. key on the phone, which may serve a similar function as Bixby Key, only for Google Assistant. The most recent leaked images, courtesy of Tech Radar appear to confirm the key. LG has used the ThinQ name on the V30S to signify artificial intelligence, and also on non-smartphone devices with AI functions.
While an early report from The Investor claimed the G7 would have an OLED display, like Samsung’s Galaxy S8 and the iPhone X, newer reports indicate this may not be the case. Older rumors suggested LG may adopt a new type of display, called “MLCD+”, being capable of a high brightness while saving on battery life. However, the most recent reports say LG may be ditching that idea too, in favor of much cheaper LCD panels. The industry trend has shifted toward OLED technology, which offers improved contrast, power efficiency, and thinner screens — but at the expense of, well, expense. A 5.8-inch OLED panel for the iPhone X costs over twice as much as a 5.5-inch LCD display for the iPhone 8 Plus, and it’s clear that a shift back to LCD technology is a cost-cutting move from LG.
A report from Chinese tech site ETNews suggests the LG may actually release two different versions of the LG G7: An LCD budget model, and a more expensive OLED model. The site claims LG will release two devices to offer more options for users and increase revenues for the company. Other than display differences, ETNews claims the phones will be largely the same. While this rumor is definitely possible, we’re taking it with a grain of salt for now.
Camera
There’s little to report on at this stage, save for the rumors of a device with dual 16-megapixel cameras and a front-facing wide-angle 8MP selfie camera. According to a rumor from GSMArena, the rear-cameras on the LG G7 ThinQ will have a 1.5 aperture, meaning the phone will take good shots in low-light. These are impressive specs for a camera phone, but there’s little to back up these particular rumors at this date — especially if this is the model of the G7 that was cancelled in favor of the “Judy” update.
That’s all the information we have on the LG G7 at the moment, but we’ll continue to update this article over the coming months as we hear more.
Updated on April 24: Added official information about the LG G7 ThinQ’s display.
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